Baby Boomers have become unwitting style icons after the furniture and clutter they refused to throw out has come back in vogue. Dark wooden sideboards, brass fittings, patterned fabrics, traditional lamps and a host of knick-knacks are among the old-fashioned furnishings making a huge comeback.
While Millennials and Gen Z are busy scouring second-hand shops and vintage marketplaces, their parents and grandparents are still living with the same décor they have had for decades. Now, interior designers say Boomers – aged 62 to 80 – have become unlikely trendsetters by simply refusing to abandon their old styles.
Why Boomer style is back in favour
Experts at My Bespoke Room say their older clients have long favoured substantial wooden furniture, comfortable sofas, proper curtains and traditional pieces over fleeting fashions. Many of the materials they have always loved – like leather, wool, linen, ceramics and brass – are being enthusiastically embraced by the younger generations of today.
Even the decorative touches once dismissed as old-fashioned are back in favour, with younger homeowners embracing shelves filled with vintage vases, decorative plates and ceramic ornaments, while coffee tables are being styled with brass candlesticks, traditional trinket dishes and treasured old books.
What Boomers prioritise in their homes
Interior designers from My Bespoke Room work with thousands of UK homeowners to transform living spaces from as little as £175 per room. The online business provides cost-effective advice and ideas from its team of experts to help reinvigorate or transform living spaces.
Over the last year, My Bespoke Room has developed 77 living rooms belonging to Boomer customers with an average spend of £4,800. Most were (76%) full room design packages and involved finding creative ways to incorporate much-loved existing furniture alongside carefully chosen new pieces.
Comfort and longevity over fleeting trends
My Bespoke Room's designers say older clients are the most likely to ask them to work around treasured furniture, artwork and possessions rather than replace everything. While younger generations might be tempted by the latest statement chair, Boomers are more concerned about whether it is actually comfortable. Instead, they favour substantial sofas, proper dining tables, practical storage and furniture that will not be 'wobbling after two years'.
Their preferred colour palette is equally timeless, with cream, warm neutrals and soft blues and greens dominating. One Boomer-style living room designed by My Bespoke Room, with a budget of £5,000 to £6,000, features a substantial £1,795 Loaf armchair. The room combines linen, aged brass, a traditional scalloped floor lamp and picture lighting. Another project, an open-plan kitchen, living and dining room, has a furniture budget of £20,000, including a £2,390 Sofa.com sofa and two £895 Loaf armchairs.
My Bespoke Room founder Laura Simpson added: 'Boomers are back in vogue! It turns out our parents and grandparents were onto something all along. We're moving away from stark minimalism and embracing homes full of warmth, character and personality. It's about mixing treasured old pieces with something fresh and modern to create a home that feels uniquely yours.'
